Onion Tart for Brunch

On Christmas morning we are usually eating brunch and then having our dinner later in the day. I love brunch but unless we go out, we hardly ever make it at home. Our son is the brunch cook! He makes omelets to order...bless him. He doesn't go to bed until he has chopped and prepped for the next day. And he has gotten to the stage in his life where he finally cleans up too! I found this recipe and I thought it would be a great brunch item . I might even make it! (Although I do have a fun drink that I am making that I am posting later on in the week!) This will be lighter than bagels and more fun than plain toast. It is different and filled with yummy flavors and I think it would also make a very good appetizer.

Onion Tart

Heat 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add one thinly sliced Vidalia onion. Cook 20 minutes, stirring until onions are browned and caramelized.

Add 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Unfold 1 sheet puff pastry onto greased nonstick baking sheet and prick with a fork.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Spread onions over pastry, then top with 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cut into squares and serve.

Vidalia Onions

It used to be that the Vidalia onion could only be found in the south. I can remember several years ago a local service organization would have a fund raiser and sell bags of Vidalias that you had to pre-order. And they were never found in the stores. But as the world became acquainted with eating more "exotic" foods, "va-dale'ya" onions started to appear as a regular staple. Vidalias come from Georgia and are so juicy and sweet. And about now are at their peak. Our daughter lives in Georgia and I am so jealous that she has access to the freshest of these gems.

Did you know that in order to be called a vidalia onion it has to be grown in one of 20 counties in southeast Georgia? And they get their sweet flavor due to the low amounts of sulfur in the sandy soil in which they are grown.

I was pleased to find a nice recipe for a Vidalia Onion Tart in the May issue of Southern Living. And this is another recipe on your table in half an hour. This is YUM! It is nice for a lunch or a side.

The vidalias melt in your mouth and the crust is a nice compliment. It does not have to be perfect; it should look a bit rustic and free form.

Rustic Vidalia Onion Tart

2 Tbsp butter

4 medium size Vidalia onions, thinly sliced (about 6-1/2 cups)

1 -1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or fresh thyme

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 pkg (15-oz) refrigerated piecrusts

Parchment paper

1 egg white, lightly beaten

3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and next 3 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until tender.

Unroll piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll into a 12-inch circle. Place piecrust on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese in center of crust. Spoon onion mixture over cheese, leaving a 2-1/2 inch border. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over onion. Fold pie crust border up and over onion, pleating as you go and leaving a 4-inch wide opening in the center. Brush crust with egg white.

Bake at 425 degrees on bottom oven rack 17-19 minutes or until crust is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.